Tragic Hero

In many ways, Things Fall Apart is considered a tragedy. Why would Achebe, taking into account the cultural context, choose to characterize Okonkwo using the tragic hero archetype?

Achebe chooses to characterize Okonkwo as a tragic hero for several reasons. However, according to me, the primary reason Achebe has chosen the tragic hero archetype for Okonkwo is to depict the deterioration of the Ibo culture, only to give birth to the Western One. 

At the beginning of the story, we witness Okonkwo in his golden days, with Iboland being in a state of stability and order. As in the historical context, this must have been some time before 1861 as Iboland was free from British rule at this time. As the story progresses as does time, we witness the metamorphization of Iboland with the creation of Churches, Missionaries and many newly found converts.  However, Okonkwo isn't there to see this due to his hamartia moment of killing a young boy and getting exiled from Umofia.

Moreover, just like any tragic hero, Okonkwo has a tragic flaw, which is his stubbornness to change and his hypermasculine ways. These characteristics are in fact opposite to those found in a typical Ibo citizen, since the Ibo people are found to be very open and accepting of change. The Ibo people believe that never one correct way or answer to something, as there will always be another way to look at the matter or even answer it. This belief in duality is reflected, in Things Fall Apart with the Christians being allowed to build a Church and the many religious Ibo people they managed to convert, with the best example being Nwoye himself. 

However, Okonkwo, on the other hand, is stubborn in his ways and isn't just rigid to change but opposes and despises anyone who deviates from his ideologies. At the end of the novel, Okonkwo decided to behead the messenger, and his fellow more accepting citizens decide not to react in such a manner. Thus, Achebe could be aiming to insinuate that a single-minded focus isn't the correct approach in life.

This is just one interpretation, however, another viewpoint would be to look at Okonkwo as a victim of the Colonial Empire.

In the beginning of the novel - pre-colonial times - Okonkwo is seen to be a successful man, flourishing and reaping the rewards for hard work. He is seen to be living in a peaceful society, with no conflicts and leading a happy life. However, after the Missionaries appear Okonkwo's life rapidly deteriorates with his son deserting him for the "new faith" of Christianity. A man, who once had everything is seen to be reduced to nothing at the end of the novel with the epitome of the story being that the Britisher were the ones who got to decided Okonkwo's penalty for killing the messenger. This transformation of power was nicely summarized by Obrieka who said: "this was one of the most powerful and well-respected men in Umofia, now look what you have done to him". This tragic hero choice ties in with the Cultural context at this time since most of the tribal Igbo people had either converted to Christianity or were being punished for not doing so. The Igbo people had completely submitted to a colonial power and Okonkwo's tragic hero characterization provides the perfect reflection of what a traditional Igbo tribesman must have dealt with at that time.